Tessell, Karin

Abstract [en]

Cleft lip and palate (CLP) is a congenital malformation. Assessment, care-planning and treatment in Sweden is executed by a team at six major regional hospitals. Historically, CLP-treatment has undergone many changes. The aim of this study is to map out how CLP-treatment regime has developed in Linköping and Stockholm during, primarily the second half of the 20th century. The focus of the study is on surgery, speech therapy and orthodontic treatment.

A study of medical records was conducted of 89 records at the speech-care unit at Linköping University hospital. The different types of clefts included were unilateral and bilateral CLP (UCLP, BCLP) and isolated cleft palate in patients born between 1908 and 1995. Interviews were made with a phoniatrician, a dental orthopaedist and a speech and language pathologist with long experience in CLP-patient care.

Results showed, that the total number of operations generally decreased for patients with BCLP and isolated cleft palate. The age when operations were performed varied less after 1975. Time in hospital for surgery became more stable and shorter. The age at the first speech therapy session decreased during the 20th century and the number of sessions at Linköping University hospital decreased for patients born after 1970.

The conclusions of this study are:

● age when operating has become more stable.

● time in hospital for surgery has decreased.

● number of treatments, both operations and speech therapy sessions, has decreased.